Monthly Archives: March 2014

Here is the video from my SQL Saturday #279 session on developer best practices & good habits to help DBAs keep the server healthy and secure. Please excuse the fact I was dealing with a sinus & chest infection during the presentation, then halfway through the camera died & we had to switch to Lauri’s Windows Phone…such a superior product! You’ll notice halfway through the presentation the resolution changes, and I apologize. Next time I do a speaking engagement I plan to use a tripod & better camera (or her phone again!)

During the presentation a good question came up regarding the effort required to manage SQL code in a source controlled application vs. in a stored procedure or view, and how I suggested keeping the code in source control can be perceived as a pain in the butt. In no way am I indicating source control is a pain. Source control is a necessary tool in the development process, that in my opinion should be used regularly by all developers regardless of platform or language. My goal is to compare the effort required when a simple change to a data type (for example) is needed, to check the project out, hunt for every location in the code where someone has hard-coded queries or statements that need to be changed, change those queries or statements (and hope you got them all), run unit tests, build/compile your application (assuming nothing else was negatively affected), deploy to test, send to QC for testing, deal with any other “issues” they find, then check the final build back into source control and release to prod, then sit in hypercare hoping nothing else happens…or simply have the DBA look in your stored procedure or view for any changes needed and change them immediately. The end point was it’s way easier to keep these in stored procs or views, not to mention it gives a centrally managed place for your database code that encourages communication between the developer and the DBA, making the entire team more effective. Sorry for any confusion.

Eric Oszakiewski is a professional software developer based in Scottsdale, AZ with over 35 years of IT experience, and 19 years Native American Gaming experience. He is currently working as a Sr .Net/SharePoint Developer for General Motors, and also as a consultant.

For the past 19 years, I have worked in Native American gaming. I remember starting out in February of 1995 working at Harrah’s newest casino on the Ak-Chin Indian Reservation south of the (at that time) town of Maricopa (now it’s a city). One lane in, one lane out, through the central Arizona desert, no highway lights, and I worked grave shift with my Dad. Made for some interesting driving experiences!

I remember meeting all sorts of people from all walks of life, and learning so much from them. I think my co-workers had the biggest impact on my career, and I still keep in touch with many of them. Most have moved on to other casinos, other careers, other states, some still work there.

In 2002 my Dad moved to Casino Arizona, but I stayed at Harrah’s, traveling to Vegas nearly every 3 months on some project or another. I finally went over to Casino Arizona 5 years later to assume the role of Enterprise Systems Developer. It was a great opportunity and the direction I really wanted my career to go. I proceeded to build all sorts of applications (web & client), interfaces and solutions for all sorts of projects big and small. There I met a whole new group of people I learned a lot from, and who also impacted my life. I will never forget any of them.

After 19 years it’s now time for me to leave the Gaming industry and embark on a whole new adventure in the Automotive industry. On March 17, 2014 I started working for General Motors as a SharePoint Software Developer at their Arizona Innovation Center. I’m very excited about this new opportunity, and feel this is definitely the direction my career is headed. I’ve spent the past few years honing my SharePoint development skills and getting MCTS certified in SharePoint Application Development, and feel this is the perfect time to transition into a role dedicated to such. Although I will miss the Gaming industry in many ways, and all of those who have touched my life, I am looking forward to creating new memories and learning from a whole new group of people at General Motors.

I want to personally thank every one of you who I’ve worked with in Gaming all over the world (you know who you are). From Joliet IL to Tunica MS, from Las Vegas NV to Nassau, thank you for sharing your lives with me; you will not be forgotten. I know I’ve mentioned many times in the past that “someday I will write a book” about what working in a casino is really like, and I probably still will. If I do I’ll contact you.

I wish Casino Arizona and its employees the best of luck. There are great opportunities awaiting, and hopefully they reach out and seize them. As for me, it’s time to close the Gaming chapter and discover what awaits inside the Automotive chapter.

Eric Oszakiewski is a professional software developer based in Scottsdale, AZ with over 35 years of IT experience, and 19 years Native American Gaming experience. He is currently working as a Sr .Net/SharePoint Developer for General Motors, and also as a consultant.